The Inner Life

Check out this second instalment of this series on foundations of prayer June 24, 2025

Msgr. Thomas Richter joins Patrick to Discuss 6 Foundations of Prayer (part 2)

• What is the origin of the 6 foundations of prayer?
• (6:04) what are the first 3 foundations of prayer?

(20:10) Break 1

• (21:33) Fourth foundation of prayer- Pray from the Heart.

(36:40) Break 2

• (37:44) Michael - Question about my struggles with temptation. Struggling with pornography and temptation and feeling unworthy and staying away because of shame. How do I overcome that?
• How can I feel God’s love in a time of unrest?

Check out the first of this series on prayer from May 21, 2025

Msgr. Tom Richter joins Patrick to Discuss 6 Foundations of Prayer (Part 1)

• (4:01) why is it important to develop foundations of prayer?
• (11:05) First foundation of prayer: Awakened Faith

(20:20) Break 1

• David - How can I get more awaken faith if I already experience it in the past, but it has fallen away? How to reinvigorate the awaken faith and bringing it back?
• (26:07) What is the second foundation of faith: Getting God Right.

(40:32) Break 2

• Patrick shares an email about offering daily activities in getting God right?
• (41:46) Third foundation of prayer: The Cross

Check out this great show from August 26, 2025

Fr. Sam Martin joins Patrick to discuss Peace During Change

• (2:59) Change is around us all the time.
• Why does change shake us in our lives?
• (13:17) Jessica - I have a couple of his graduates going to college. People keep passing away. Trying to keep positive during change.

(20:08) Break 1

• (21:52) Linda - I'm a 77-year-old grandmother. Last September my son passed from a heart attack. I've had a lot of change over the last year. I'm going through all the motions because the help of my faith. Looking for encouragement and help through the grief.
• (35:31) Karen - 25 years ago...in a year, my kids grew up and left, elderly relative passed away, husband had a medical crisis, I had to get a job which I hadn't done for 20 years. Everything I knew about my life changed. Spent close to 2 years hating life and hit a wall or God and said, 'I give up.' I simply accepted this is my life and things changed for the better and opportunities opened up.

(41:05) Beak 2

• Jo Ann - Life just took everything away from me. I sat down on the couch and couldn't get up. Couldn't go to Mass. Never stopped praying, but my faith was there and felt that God was guiding me. When I did get help, it was my faith that got me through. God is good! We need to trust in him and he has a plan.
• (48:04) What are ways we can find peace in our lives?

Fr. Peter Armenio joins Patrick to discuss Sanctifying Work

• What is the importance of work?
• (8:41) why is there dignity in work?

(21:00) Break 1

• (22:12) Nick - I think of Social Teaching and the rights and dignity of workers. In the precepts, we're told to support the church financially. In retirement, give your calendar to the Lord and he'll fill it in for you. When we retire, our greatest work is thinking of God more and he fills it in for us.
• Mary Lou - Thanks for the reminder that my work is sacred. I'm a hairdresser. Reminded me of a project I have coming up and how meaningless and tedious it seems compared to my spiritual life, but this woman likes to talk about the Lord. She's not Catholic, but it might be a way to talk about Jesus to her.
• (30:37) Email from Mary – Can you cut corners if you have to in order to get your work done?
• What does it mean to sanctify our work?

(40:40) Break 2

• (45:05) Charles - I'm a retired crime scene investigator. Witnessed many murders. Throughout my career, I realized maybe nobody was praying for this person before they died. At some point, I started praying as I responded to the crime scene. Wanted to share that if there are other officers listening.

Check out this classic show from September 13, 2023, where our guest Father Chris Walsh joins Patrick to discuss the crosses we bare for the love of Christ.

Check out this great show form August 29, 2023

Father Rob Kroll joins Patrick to discuss Contemplation

• (4:03) What is Prayer?
• How do the three types of prayer, vocal, meditative and contemplative, connect with each other.
• (20:02) Rosemary - My mind is either blank many times or I start thinking about things going on in my day and get discouraged.

(25:41) Break 1

• How can you rest in the Lords presence by blanking your mind.
• (32:02) Carlos - First time practicing contemplation this morning.  Amazed at what he received from the Lord.  Glad you're talking about this today.
• Terri - When I try contemplative prayer, I almost feel like it's offensive to God like not giving it all.

(39:13) Break 2

• Monica - Has 8 kids.  Homeschooled.  Very busy and really longing to grow in prayer.  It started with sleeping, washing dishes, being with children and coming into union with God.
• (46:52) Anna - Prayer also begins with what we do before or after prayer.  How much time to we spend being stimulated by the world?

Resources:

• Fr. Thomas Merton, Contemplative Prayer
  • https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/351723.Contemplative_Prayer
• CS Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
  • https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Malcolm-Chiefly-C-S-Lewis/dp/0156027666
• Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M., Prayer Primer
  • https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/prayer-primer-igniting-a-fire-within
• Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M., Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel—on Prayer​
  • https://ignatius.com/fire-within-fwp/
• Fr. Jacques Philippe, Time for God
  • https://scepterpublishers.org/products/copy-of-time-for-god?srsltid=AfmBOopzvCN9XxB6XBd3ZwdGmgZznUzCbOAdZHvTO-f_wu2_Duyi9qLe&variant=42370443542705
• Peter Kreeft, Prayer for Beginners
  • https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/prayer-for-beginners
• Fr. Thomas Acklin and Fr. Boniface Hicks, Personal prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father's Love
  • https://stpaulcenter.com/product/personal-prayer-a-guide-for-receiving-the-fathers-love/

Fr. Tom McCarthy joins Patrick to discuss St. Augustine and Conversion

• (4:46) Father shares the story of Saint Augustine.
• How is Augustine’s story similar to our story?
• (16:29) Nick - Love St. Augustine. Reminds me of how merciful the Lord is. Very important to know how easy it is to be forgiven. Need to overcome bad habits. When we look at St. Monica and St. Augustine. Conversion not just a onetime thing...ongoing.

(20:25) Break 1

• Email – How can I discern whether I am truly living my conversion?
• (28:54) Joanna - Today is my birthday and he is my saint. I was raised Catholic and my grandmother raised me that way. I want to provide the same unconditional love she provided and showed me through St. Augustine.
• Ann - I live on St. Augustine Drive! Never thought about it when we moved here, but I've lived here since 1958. My husband became a permanent deacon and served the Diocese of Orange. Enjoy Relevant Radio.
• (34:35) Tom - I was a wandering Catholic and ended up in Paris. Friend had a record that had a Bob Dylan song that was about St. Augustine. I knew that I was kind of living like him (Augustine) and listened to it constantly. Went to a party and something happened where I ended up at a Cathedral and told God I was lost and needed him. Came back to the church.

(39:07) Break 2

• What is the importance of looking at both the good and the bad when it comes to your life?
• (44:22) Carol - Not being able to let go of a sin...come out of confession with a spiritual change, but hearts don't let go because they don't know a new normal.
• Conversion brings peace.

Resources:

• Augustinian Vocations of North America
  • https://www.beafriar.org/

Fr. Bobby Blood joins Patrick to discuss Fallen Away Children: Saint Monica

• Father gives insights and inspiration on the shooting at the MN Catholic School.
• (13:32) Who was St Monica?
• How do our prayers affect the salvation of other people?

(20:19) Break 1

• (29:11) Lu - Our son passed away last October. He was fallen away. It's been difficult because he had all the sacraments. Anything that can help me with that?
• Linda - My children are in their 40s. Both fell away from the faith and stayed away for years. My husband and I prayed to St. Monica for years. Now, both are back in the church. I believe that prayers work.

(36:33) Break 2

• (38:02) Stacy - Want to share...As a fallen away child who fell away and came back. The reason I came back. I went to Catholic school until 6th grade.  I didn't pay attention as a child and didn't interest me. Making so many mistakes, I finally officially turned my life over to Jesus. Love the Catholic faith now.
• (41:52) Email – how do you pray hard?
• How can you talk with your child about coming back to the Church without being nagging?
• (47:22) Isabelle - I have a son, 66 years old, all the sacraments. 14 years and he doesn't want to have anything to do with me. He says he's an atheist. It really bothers me. What do I do?

Fr. Sam Martin joins Patrick to discuss Peace During Change

• (2:59) Change is around us all the time.
• Why does change shake us in our lives?
• (13:17) Jessica - I have a couple of his graduates going to college. People keep passing away. Trying to keep positive during change.

(20:08) Break 1

• (21:52) Linda - I'm a 77-year-old grandmother. Last September my son passed from a heart attack. I've had a lot of change over the last year. I'm going through all the motions because the help of my faith. Looking for encouragement and help through the grief.
• (35:31) Karen - 25 years ago...in a year, my kids grew up and left, elderly relative passed away, husband had a medical crisis, I had to get a job which I hadn't done for 20 years. Everything I knew about my life changed. Spent close to 2 years hating life and hit a wall or God and said, 'I give up.' I simply accepted this is my life and things changed for the better and opportunities opened up.

(41:05) Beak 2

• Jo Ann - Life just took everything away from me. I sat down on the couch and couldn't get up. Couldn't go to Mass. Never stopped praying, but my faith was there and felt that God was guiding me. When I did get help, it was my faith that got me through. God is good! We need to trust in him and he has a plan.
• (48:04) What are ways we can find peace in our lives?

Fr. Dave Heney joins Patrick to have a Bible Study on the Sunday's readings

• (3:20) What is the background behind this Sunday’s Gospel passage?
• Father shares the Gospel from this Sunday
• (12:01) Father shares his thoughts on this Gospel.

(22:43) Break 1

• Email - What is the difference between humility and sincerity?
• (31:35) Sue Ley - I have somebody in my family relating to the situation Father Dave was talking about.
• How can I help my children to understand that we don’t want anything in return from them?

(39:05) Break 2

• Email – My wife is highly transactional; how do I interact with her in this?
• Why is it important to give without expecting anything in return?
• Who are some good saints to helps learn the truth about ourselves?